Boiler.



Patented Nov. I4, |899. B. w. RICE.

BOILER.

(Applicntiomled June 6, 189B.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1,

(No Model.) i

1H: Nonms PETERS no.. mmau'rnu.. WASHINGTON. D, c4

No. 636,923. Patented N'qv. I4, |899.

B. W. RICE. BUILER. (Application led .Tune 6, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Z. f g

6, n 6' 6 5 F Y I 'me NaRms PETERS co.. PHoTuLrwo., WASHINGTON, n4 L:A

No. 636,923. Patented Nov. I4, |899.

B. W. RICE.

BOILEB.

(Application led June 6, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

TME dans PETERS o0, Puo-rauwe.. wAsmNG'roN. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEVERLY W. RICE, OF ELDRED, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Ietters Patent No. 636,923, dated November 14, 1899. Application filed .Tune 6,v 1898. Serial No. 682,713. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that LBEVERLY W. RIcE,a citivzen of the United States, residing at Eldred, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Boiler, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to boiler construction, and has for its object to provide a simple and compact construction and arrangement of parts whereby the maximum heating-surface is exposed to the furnace heat and whereby a free circulation of Water and steam between the members of the boiler is insured in order to avoid back pressure or the blowing of the water out -of the boiler by the pressure of steam.

A further object of the invention is to provide such aconstruction and arrangement of parts that the capacity or power thereof may be increased with facility without necessitating an entirely new boiler or, in other words, may be increased by the provision of certain circulating members, which are applicable subsequent to the construction and use of a boiler of smaller capacity.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front view of a boiler constructed in accordance with my invention arranged in its operative position within a furnace. Fig. 2 is av vertical central section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a side view of a boiler constructed in accordance with my invention, showing a modified arrangement of means for establishing communication between the cinculating mediums and the stand-pipe or drum'. Fig. 5 is a vertical central section of the same. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The boiler embodying my invention comprises a main central stand-pipe or drum, surrounded by one or more circulating mediums or manifolds, each medium or manifold consisting of a continuous conductor terminally connected to form an endless passage,the tube or tubes forming the medium being arranged in a cylindrical or analogous form. Each conductor may consist of a continuous tube doubled upon itself to form close folds or elements,

which occupy contiguous vertical positions, constituting a tubular wall surrounding the stand-pipe or drum. Obviously the folds or elements .are connected at their upper and lower ends by suitable means,and when semicircular elbows or return-bends 3 are employed they may, as in the construction illustrated, consist of couplings in order to facilitate the construction of the series. It will be understood, however, that I do not desire to be limited to the use of couplings for forming these return-bends,as it is obvious that the circulat ing medium may consist of a continuous pipe folded upon itself at the proper points toform the elements which combine to constitute the tubular shell, as described.

In the construction shown in Figs. l to 3 the stand-pipe or drum l is provided with terminal heads and at its lower end with a water-inlet pipe t, the upper portion of the stand-pipe or drum forming a steam-dome l, with which communicates a steam-conveyer 5 or any equivalent thereof to convey steam to the engine or other device wherein the same is to be utilized.

Eachfold or element of the circulating medium 2 is connected at both ends with the stand-pipe or drum by means of connecting mediums, such as tubes 6 and 7, arranged, respectively, at the upper and lower ends of said folds; but I do not employ separate connecting-tubes for each fold. On the other hand, in order to minimize the number of openings which must be formed in the standpipe or drum and at the same time secure the necessary communication between the circulating-tube and the main or body portion of the boiler, I arrange a connecting-tube in communication with each bend or elbow 3 of the circulating-tube, whereby one connectingtube 6 serves to convey steam from two folds or elements of the manifolded circulating tube to the stand-pipe or drum, and one connecting-tube 7 serves to communicate water from the stand-pipe or drum to two folds or elements of the circulating tube, whereby with a number of connecting-tubes equal to the number of folds or elements of a mani- IOO folded circulating-pipe I am enabled to connect each end of each fold or element of the circulating-tube with the interior of the standpipe. Also in practice I prefer to employ connecting-tubes which are of smaller diameter than the circulating-tubes and preferably of one-half the diameter, whereby with a circulating-tube of one inch diameter I employ connecting-tubes of thrce-eighths or one-half inch diameter.

Obviously as the water is admitted to the stand-pipe or drum it rises equally in all of the elements of the continuous circulating medium or tube, and as the steam is formed in the circulating medium it rises in the folds or elements thereof and passes into the drum through the connecting mediums 6. As the communication between each fold or element of the circulating-tube and the steam-drum is wholly unobstructed at the upper end of the fold, there is no tendency to back the water out of the folds into the stand-pipe, and thus the operation of the device is continuous and efficient,

In practice I may employ either one or a plurality of circulating-tubes in connection with a stand-pipe or drum, and in order to increase the capacity and horse-power of the boiler it is simply necessary to add tiers or series of tubes. In the drawings I have illustrated a plurality of shells, consistingr of circulating mediums or tubes lnanifolded, as described, and arranged in series concentric with the stand-pipe or drum; but the connecting-tubes of the several series (in the construction shown in Figs. l to 3) are independ ent of each other. In other words, each inclosing tubular shell is provided at each bend o1' at each end of each fold or element with a connecting-tube in communication with the stand-pipe or drum, and in order that the arrangement of parts may be compact I increase the lengths of the folds or elements in the cir' culating-tubes as they recede from the standpipe or drum, whereby the innermost circulating series consists of folds or elements of the minimum length, while each succeeding series is provided with folds or elements of increased length, the folds or elements of each circulating-tube being of greaterlength than those of the adjacent inner circulatingtube.

A boiler constructed as described should be arranged in a vertical position in a furnace inclosed in a suitable boiler-iron jacket 8, as indicated in section in the drawings, and owing to the extensive exposure of heatingsurface, together with the small diameters of the circulating-tubes, it will be obvious that a rapid conversion of the contents of the boiler into steam will result and that such conversion may be accomplished with the minimum expenditure of fuel. I purposely avoid making such connection between the circulating-tubes and the stand-pi pe, and particularly between the upper ends of the folds or elements and the contiguous end of the culating-tubes and to insure the generation of dry steam, to allow a direct communication between each fold or element of a circulatingtube and the steam-dome; but in order that a desired number of manifolds may be employed in connection with the stand-pipe to give the required capacity to the boiler Without unnecessarily multiplying the number of connecting-pipes I have adopted the construction described, wherein each connecting-pipe serves to establish communication between the adjacent ends of two folds or elements and the stand-pipe.

A further advantage of the boiler described resides in the fact that all of the members thereof being of small diameter, including the stand-pipe or drum, (which in practice need not exceed twelve inches in diameter,) the resistance of the structure to explosion is vastly increased over single-tube or cylinder boilers of the same capacity and thickness of walls, and in addition to this a boiler constructed as described is more compact or occupies less space for the same capacity than a boiler of the ordinary construction. Also a boiler of the construction described is more portable, and the inconvenience and loss of time incident to the cleaning of flues are avoided.

The arrangement of the elements of the manifolded circulating-pipe to form a continuous passage provides for an equalization of pressure throughout the elements of each scries and at the same time avoids the formation of pockets in which solid material may accumulate, and thus interfere with l[he proper circulation with the drum or cylinder of the boiler.

Various other advantages of the construction described will be obvious to those conversant with the art to which my invention belongs, and it will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Among the numerous modifications of the essential features of my invention, as shown IIO in Figs. 1 to 3, which may be adopted I have l dium or manifold has an outlet at its upper end and an inlet at its lower end communicating with the drum. In the construction shown in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, however, this connection with the drum isnof direct, as bya separate connecting medium shown at 6 and 7 in Figs. 1 and 2, Vbut by a continuous conveyer which is in communication with a connecting-tube; but said conveyer and the communicating connecting-tube constitute a' connecting medium between one end of each fold or element 2qd and the drum to allow the escape of steam from each fold without passing into another fold and also to allow the'introduction of water into one fold without passing through any other fold or element of the series. I

In the construction shown in Figs. 4 to 6 the drum is extended to form a steam-dome 1, with which the steam service-pipe to con- Vey steam to the engine or other device may communicate.

An important feature of both forms of my invention illustrated in the drawings consists in the fact that each circulating medium is independent of the other circulating mediums, and thus the boiler may be built up by the successive addition of circulating mediums to increase the capacity of the boiler without aecting the relative arrangement of those mediums previously applied. This enables me to add circulating mediums to increase the capacity of the boiler as the demands upon the boiler may require.

Having described my invention, what I claim is I l. A boiler having a manifolded circulating medium, of Which each element is in communication at one end with a supply and at the other end with an outlet conveyer and is also in communication at its opposite ends .respectively with adjoining elements, substantially as specified.

2. A boiler having a manifolded circulating medium, comprising a series of parallel elements, of which each is in communication at one end with a supply and at the other end with an outlet conveyer and is also in communication at its opposite ends respectively with adjoining elements, substantially as specified.

3. A boiler having a series of concentric shells, each consisting of a manifolded medium, of which each element is in communication at one end with a supply and at vthe other end with an outlet conveyer and is also in communication at its' opposite ends respectively with adjoining elements, substantially as specified.

4. A boiler having a drum, a surrounding manifolded circulating medium forming a'continuous passage, and a connecting medium between each end of' each fold or element of said circulating medium and the drum, substantially as specified.

fled.

6. A boiler having a continuous series of terminally-connected communicating tubular elements, forming a continuous passage, and each of said elements being in communication at spaced points with inlet and outlet conducting mediums, substantially as specified.

7. A boiler having a manifolded lcirculating-tube forming a continuous passage and of which each fold or element is in communication at one end with'a supply and at its other end with an outlet conveyer, substantially as specified.

8. A boiler having a central stand-pipe or drum, and an encircling shell consisting of a continuous manifolded circulating-tube, of which each fold or element is in communication at both ends with the stand-pipe or drum, substantially as specified. v

9. A boiler having a central stand-pipe or drum, and an encircling shell consisting of a continuous manifolded circulating-tube, and a single connecting-tube between each bend of the circulating-tube and the stand-pipe or drum, substantially as specified. y 10. A boiler having a stand-pipe or drum provided with communicating water-inlet and steam-escape conveyers, and an encircling shell, concentric with the stand-pipe or drum, consisting of a continuous manifolded circulating-tube, arranged with its folds or elements parallel with the axis of the standpipe and connected by elbows or bends, and a connecting-tube between each elbow or bend and the stand-pipe or drum, substantially as specified.

ll. A boiler having a central stand-pipe or drum provided with water-inlet and steamoutlet conveyers, and a plurality of tubular shells encircling the stand-pipe or drum and larran ged in separate layers or tiers, each shell consisting of a continuous manifolded circulatin g-pipe arranged with its folds or elements parallel with the aXis of the stand-pipe, and connecting-tubes between each bend of the circulating-pipe and the stand-pipe or drum, the folds or elements of each shell being of a length greater than those of the adjacent inner shell, whereby the lengths of the folds or elements increase from the innermost to the outermost shell, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BEVERLY W. RICE.

vWitnesses:

JOHN II. SIGGERS, E. G. SIGGERs.

IOO

IIO 

